Melatonin receptors mediate contraction of a rat cerebral artery.
Melatonin receptors are expressed in the cerebral arteries of the rat which form the circle of Willis. We report here that melatonin induces contraction of in vitro preparations of pressurized rat posterior communicating artery, in a concentration-dependent manner. This action of melatonin is inhibited by S-20928, a specific melatonin receptor antagonist. Our results demonstrate that the contractile action of melatonin is mediated by its receptors in the cerebral artery, and suggest a role for melatonin in the regulation of cerebral circulation.
Viswanathan
M
M
Section on Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1514, USA.
Scalbert
E
E
Delagrange
P
P
Guardiola-Lemaître
B
B
Saavedra
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D009281:Naphthalenes; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; C106874:N-(2-(1-naphthalenyl)ethyl)cyclobutanecarboxamide; D008550:Melatonin